Editorial: Obamacare working, for young GOPers

Posted:
08/23/2013 10:56:06 AM MDT

The United States is suffering from a case of irony. While Republican lawmakers vigorously attack -- and Democrats defend -- the Affordable Care Act, those who take advantage of its active provisions defy any red-blue maxim.

Among the 19- to 25-year-old set who have signed up or remained on their parents' health insurance plans under the law, 63 percent identify as Republican and 45 percent identify as Democrats. That's according to the results of a Commonwealth Fund survey, conducted in March, released this week.

Why is that? There's no clear explanation, but one thought is that parents of these self-identified Republicans are more likely to be insured, opening up the opportunity for their children.

One consideration could be race or ethnicity. According to the Commonwealth study, Hispanic Americans in particular are less aware of the changes to the law and are less likely to be enrolled in their parents' insurance plans, if they have them. The majority of Hispanics identify as Democratic.

Yet overall, young adults with no more than a high school education, and those who live below the poverty line, increased their participation in their parents' health plans from November 2011 to March 2013, according to the survey. So the provision appears to be making a difference.

The study reveals that insurance plan enrollment among all young adults ages 23 to 25 has increased. And no matter where one stands on Obamacare, it's good to see more young adults paying attention to their health care options, and taking advantage of them.

Whether it's because they view themselves as invincible, or whether they simply have not been able to afford insurance, young adults have traditionally been underinsured. Bringing this demographic into the ranks of the insured strengthens the entire system and keeps their bills from burdening health care institutions.

There's more work to be done. The next step for the Affordable Care Act is the start of health exchanges -- insurance marketplaces -- this fall. While 62 percent of all young adults are aware of the parental insurance provision, only 27 percent of young adults surveyed had heard about the exchanges.

If any health insurance plan, including the ACA, is to work, then young Americans need to be treated for another ailment -- disinterest.